Handling device for strand material



Aprll 21, 1964 H GERTH ETAL y 3,129,679

HADLING DEVICE FOR STRAND MATERIAL Filed Dec. 23, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 21, 1954 H. L. GERTH ETAL"` 3,129,679

HANDLING DEVICE FOR STRAND MATERIAL Filed Dec. 23. 1960 4 sheetsJsheet 2 FIG- 2 Ugg April 21, 1964 H. I.. GERTH ETAL 3,129,679

HANDLING DEVICE FOR STRAND MATERIAL `y I Filed Deo. 23. 1960 4 shets-sheet :s

FIG. 4 8

| I I I Filed Dec. 25. 1960' Aril 21, 1964 H. l.. GERTH ETAL 3,129,679

HANDLING DEVICE FDR STRAND MATERIAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 10

United States Patent O HANDLING DEVICE FOR STRAND MATERIAL Harry L. Gerth, Fishkiii, and Robert i... Judge, Poughkeepsie, NX., assignors to nternationai Business Machines Corporation, New York, NX., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 23, 1960, Ser. No. 77,931 Claims. (Cl. Ilm- 173) This invention relates to a device for handling strand material and more particularly to an automatic handling device for very iine wire used as windings on very small magnetic cores.

Magnetic cores have recently become very prominent circuit elements in a wide Variety of circuits used in modern computing machines. These cores, with their rectangular hysteresis characteristics, lind use in shifting registers, memory components, logic circuits, and switching circuits, etc. Size and power requirements dictate that these cores be very small. These small cores have outside diameters down to the order of .090 inch and inside diameters down to the order of .020 inch.

Windings must be provided for the magnetic cores for the uses enumerated above. Depending on the use of the magnetic cores, set, reset, and sense windings must be placed through the cores in particular configurations. The Wires may be placed through the cores only once as in a core memory array, or many turns of wire may be placed on a single core in combination with many turns placed on another core for use in certain logic circuits.

The sense winding of a core plane for use in a memory is a single run of wire which passes once through all the cores in the plane. It is not uncommon for this single run of wire to approach a length of feet or more. Certain core logic circuits may be composed of an orderly array of magnetic cores which are to be coupled together by a single run of Wire in order to perform a certain function. It may be necessary to wind a single run of wire once through each core in the array in a particular coniiguration. Each core in an array may require a definite number of turns of wire to be placed upon it, and the next core, to which the wire is to couple the first core, may require a different number of turns of Wire. Depending on the size of this core array for use in a logic circuit, there may be required many feet of wire, or many dilferent lengths of wire sewn through the cores in a particular pattern.

The very small cores and the very iine Wire, in the order of .002 inch, have required that these delicate and precise winding operations be accomplished by hand. It is easy to imagine difficulties encountered in using such tine Wire of such great length. Each time the free end of the wire has been passed through a core or through a series of cores, the wire must be pulled completely through and the problem arises of what to do with the wire that has been pulled through the core. Great care is required of the person to keep the wire from tangling or kinking after being pulled through the core. The next alternative in handling such long runs of wire is to cut the wire into shorter lengths for easier handling, but this in turn requires many unreliable and time consuming solder connections.

Automatic mechanical devices have been devised for winding many turns on a core. Some of these devices utilize a bobbin which carries the wire. The bobbin is caused to transcribe a circular path through the core in order to place many windings on the core. These devices are not suitable, however, for use with the very small cores used in the above enumerated circuits. Other mechanical devices have been developed for use with the very small cores, but these also have limitations. They are primarily suited only for winding many turns on a single core wherein the leading end of the wire is caused anatre Patented Apr. 2l, 1964 ice to enter the core only from one direction. They would not be suitable, for instance, in winding a run of wire through an orderly array of magnetic core elements embedded horizontally in a pluggable unit board. In running wire through this type of an arrangement, the wire must be passed back and forth through the array from one side of the board to the opposite side of the board in a running stitch type of sewing operation.

Core winding by hand operation has a further disadvantage of not being able to accurately control the amount of tension applied to the wire during the winding operation. Prior art automatic mechanical devices provide some degree of control on the tension placed on the Wire, but this normally requires a complex mechanical arrangement which must operate on the wire in addition to the mechanical arrangement required to position the wire and pass it through the core. There are greater possibilities of mechanical failure or wire breakage as the mechanical arrangements become more complex.

An object of this invention is to provide apparatus for handling substantial lengths of very iine wire.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ine wire handling apparatus of simple construction with a minimum of mechanical parts suitable for use by an inexperienced operator.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus for handling and storing ine wire in a sewing operation wherein the excess wire is stored in a device which itself provides uniform and accurate tension on the wire when pulled against the work piece.

These and other objects of this invention are attained in a specific embodiment thereof, wherein a small magnetic core or an orderly array of cores are supported between a first and second storage means adapted to retain a single loop of wire. Means are also provided for transferring a portion of the free end of the wire from one side of the core or cores to the other. Control means are eiiective in response to said transferring means to cause a single loop of the remaining free end of the wire to be taken into one storage device and removed from the other.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of the wire handling device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the hollow track and the take-out mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 2 showing the take-out mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a portion of a track and its associated vacuum control and damper control mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of FIG. 4 showing the hollow track and the vacuum control and damper control mechanism.

FIGS. 6 through l() are functional diagrams of the relative positions of the hollow tracks during operation of the wire handling device.

Functional Description In the illustrative preferred embodiment of this invention, an orderly array of cores is mounted on a support member adapted to be moved in a iirst and second direction and rotatably in a single plane. On each side of the support member there is located a transfer means adapted for vertical movement normal to the plane of the support member. Also mounted on each side of the support member is a hollow track. The tracks are mounted in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the support member.

Mounted on each of the tracks at one end, which is open to the atmosphere, is a take-out means. The takeout means is adapted to receive and retain without attachment, by the use of vacuum, a round bobbin of a size which substantially fills the hollow track portion.

At the other end of each of the hollow tracks are a pair of valve members. A means of producing a Vacuum is also attached to the other end of each of the tracks. Gne of the valve members is adapted to close the hollow track to the vacuum and open the vacuum end of the track to the atmosphere. The other valve member is adapted to reduce the amount of vacuum applied to the hollow tracks.

The length of each of the tracks is approximately onehalf the length of the wire to be handled. One end of the wire is terminated at the support means. The wire is then loaded into one of the hollow tracks by applying a vacuum to the track and inserting the bobbin into the track to pull a bight of the wire into the track. The free end of the wire is threaded through a needle which is in turn placed into one of the transfer means.

The transfer means are caused to converge in their vertical path towards the work piece. When the transfer means reach an extreme position towards the work piece, the needle is transferred through the work piece to the transfer means on the opposite side of the work piece. As soon as the needle has been passed to the transfer means on the opposite side, the transfer means then diverge in the same path to a second extreme position away from the work piece. During the convergence and divergence of the transfer means, the hollow tracks are positioned away from the run of the wire.

As the transfer means approach the second extreme position away from the work piece, the hollow tracks are caused to be moved toward the run of the wire between the work piece and the transfer means. One of the tracks is positioned such that the run of the wire between the work piece and the transfer means containing the needle causes the wire to cross the hollow portion of the track between the hollow portion and the take-out means. The take-out means contains the bobbin through the vacuum acting on the take-out means. The other track, which contains the bight of the wire on the other side of the work piece, is positioned in a discrete position relative to the other track. When the transfer means reaches the second extreme position away from the work piece, actuating means causes the vacuum to be removed from, the take-out means and applied to the other end of the track which is to receive a bightv of wire. Vacuum is applied to the take-out means of` the other track and removed from the other end of the track. When the vacuum is removed from the other end of the track containing the bight of wire, it is opened to the atmosphere. The take-out means causes the bobbin of the first track to be ejected into the track. The vacuum pulls the bobbin into the track pulling a loop of the wire with it.

A photocell is mounted on each of the tracks and is effective to sense when the bobbin crosses the light beam across the track from which wire is being removed. When the bobbin is sensed, one of the valve members on the track which is receiving a bight of wire is activated which reduces the amount of vacuum applied to the track receiving the wire. In this manner the speed in which the wire is transferred from one track to the other Vis reduced. This reduced vacuum is edective to remove all the wire from the other track. When the bobbin reaches the take-out means in the track from which the wire is being removed, the bobbin is taken out of the track freeing the wire it was carrying. The reduced vacuum is maintained on the receiving track after the wire has been pulled up to the work piece to provide a constant and accurate tension on the wire.

The support member and work piece are then positioned to receive the free end of the wire for the next passage. The transfer means are then caused to converge upon the work piece. The needle carried by the transfer means from the previous passage was pointing away from the work piece after completion of the transfer. During the converging portion of the transfer, the transfer means are caused to rotate degrees to present the point of the needle to the work piece for passage through the work piece. After passage through the work piece and divergence of the transfer means the cycle is repeated wherein the wire is caused to be pulled into the hollow track on the other side of the work piece.

The transfer means may be removed and their function accomplished by hand operation. The action of the hollow tracks is the same, but is initiated through push button controls by an operator.

Detailed Description Depicted in an over-all view in FIG. l there is shown` a work piece Ztl which may be an orderly array of small magnetic cores 21 embedded in a suitable mounting board. The work piece 2i)l is mounted upon a turn table 23. The turn table Z3 is in turn mounted on a member 24 slidably mounted upon two parallel tracks 25; The parallel tracks 25 are in turn slidable mounted upon a support member consisting of two parallel tracks 26. Two perpendicular reciprocating movement may be imparted to the work piece 20 by suitable means such as a pair of worm gears 27. The work piece 20 is, therefore, capable of being indexed in two perpendicular directions and rotatably within a plane.

Transfer means in the form of two needle handlers 3i) and 31 are mounted for movement in a path perpendicular to the plane of the work piece 20 along supports 32 and 33. The needle handlers 30 and 31y are suitably mounted and adapted to simultaneously converge to a first extreme position where there is located` a switch 34 and 35 respectively. The needle handlers- 39 and 31 are also adapted to be positioned simultaneously to a second extreme position where there is 1ocated a switch 36 and 37 respectively. Also associated with each of the needle handlers 30 and 31 is an intermediate position between the two extreme positions where there is located a switch 38 and 39 respectively. The needle handlers 30 and 31 are also adapted for 180 degree rotation during the converging movement towardsy the work iece Z0.

First and second hollow tracks dil and 41 respectively are mounted by suitable support means 42 on opposite sides of the work piece 20. The tracks 40 and 41 are slidably mounted on the support means 42 and may be independently positioned by suitable positioning means noted generally by the numeral 43. The hollow tracks il and 41 are positioned perpendicular to and in the same plane with the path transcribed by the needle handlers 3@ and 31. The tracks 4G and 41 may be any desired length but need be only one-half as long as the maximum amount of wire desired to be handled.

A first vacuum source Sil is connected to one end of each of the tracks 40 and di by a flexible hose 51. Vacuurn control means in the form of blades 52 and 53 selectively and alternately open and close the tracks 40 and 41 respectively to the vacuum source 50. Actuating means 54 and 55 which may be electrical solenoids or pneumatic pistons give a reciprocal motion to the blades 52 and 53 respectively. Damper control means in the form of slidably mounted blades 56 and 57, actuated by actuating means 58 and S9 respectively, are adapted to be positioned between the vacuum source 50 and hollow tracks 4i) and 41 respectively to substantially close olf the tracks to the vacuum source 50. Structural details of the blades 52, 53, 56 and 57 will be more fully described at a later time in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5.

Take-out means, noted generally by the numerals 60 and 61, form an extension of one side of each of the tracks 40 and 41 respectively. This end of each of the hollow tracks 40 and 41 is open to the atmosphere. A second vacuum source 62 is selectively and alternately applied, through a valve arrangement 63, to the takeout means 60 and 61 by way of ilexible hose 64 and 65 respectively.

The take-out means 60 and 61 are adapted to remove from the tracks 40 and 41 and retain without attachment, through the action of the vacuum means 62, a pair of round bobbins 66 and 67 respectively. (Bobbin 66 is not visible in the view of FIG. 1, as it is being retained within the take-out means 60.) The mode of operation and structural details of the take-out means 60 and 61 will be more fully described later in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3. The bobbins 66 and 67 have a width slightly less than the width of the hollow portion of the track and an outside diameter slightly less than the other dimension of the hollow portion of each of the tracks. The outer perimeter of the bobbins 66 and 67 is grooved to enable the bobbins to retain a bight of wire.

FIG. 1 shows the free end of a wire 70 threaded into a needle 71 which is being retained by needle handler 30. The terminal end of the wire 70 is shown connected to the work piece at point 72. Mounted in a cooperative relationship with the take-out means 60 and 61 are a pair of wire guide rollers 74 and 75 respectively. Also mounted on each of the tracks 40 and 41 are a pair of wire guide rollers 76 and 77 respectively.

A pair of photocell sensing means 78 and 79 are shown on each of the tracks 40 and 41 respectively. The photocells 7S and 79 are effective to sense when the bobbin associated with its tracks passes che photocell in its travel from the vacuum end of the track to the take-out means. Photocell 78 is effective to actuate damper control means 57 and photocell '79 is effective to actuate damper control means 58.

FIG. l shows the wire handling device just prior kto initiating the transfer of the wire from track 41 to track 40. The run of wire 70 may be traced from the needle 71 contained in needle handler 30, across the hollow track 40 between the hollow track and the take-out means 60, across the roller 76, through the work piece 20, around roller 75, into the track 41, around the bobbin 67 upon which the vacuum source 50 is acting through the damper control means 59, back to the open end of the track 41, around the roller 77, to the terminal point 72.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a portion of one of the tracks 49 or 41 and the associated take-out means `60 or 61. It should be noted that each of the tracks 40 and 41 and its associated components are identical in construction and are merely inverted in their relationship to each other in the apparatus. The description will be confined to take-out means 60 on track 40.

The hollow tracks are formed by a channel member 80 which is covered by a plate 81 which is preferably clear plastic. One end of the channel member 80 is rounded at S2. The wire 70, as it enters and leaves the hollow tracks, is provided with rounded bearing points by the rounded portion 82 and the roller 76 mounted on shaft 83 which is supported by the plate 81 and the channel member S0. The take-out means is mounted on the track by a plate 84 with suitable fastening means. The take-out means forms an extension of the channel member 80. An upper portion 85 forms an extension of the upper portion of the channel, a lower portion 86 forms an extension of the lower portion of the channel 80, and a door 87 provides an extension of the side portion of the channel 80. The door 87 has a lip portion 88 which forms a part of the lower portion 86 of the take-out means. The door 87 is mounted to pivot 90 degrees on a shaft S9 supported by the side walls of the take-out means. A sprin-g biases the door in a closed position.

The door S7 is tted with a curvedstop 91. The door 87 is also provided with an opening 92 therethrough. The take-out means is fitted with a suitable opening 93 for connecting the flexible hose 64 through which vacuum from source 62 may be applied. When the opening 92 in the door 87 is uncovered, the vacuum will have no effect on the door 87 and the spring 90 will maintain the door in a closed position. When the wire 70 is being removed from one of the tracks, the vacuum will be applied to the take-out means associated with that track. As the wire 70 is removed the bobbin 66 will be pulled towards the associated take-out means. The bobbin will be forced against the stop 91 by the wire 70 and will cover the opening 92. With the opening 92 covered by the bobbin 66, the vacuum will act on the door 87 and overcome the bias of the spring 90. The door S7 and bobbin 66 will be pivoted 90 degrees into the cavity 94 of the take-out means. (See FIG. 3.) The roller 74 is pinned to the shaft 89 by a suitable link 95. When the door 87 makes its 90 degree pivot, its associated roller 74 will make the same 90 degree pivot. When the door S7 and the roller 74 pivot 90 degrees, the

` wire 70 is freed from both the roller 74 and the bobbin 66 allowing the wire 70 to become completely removed from the track.

When a hollow track is to receive a bight of the wire 70, the wire will have been placed in a straight run across the hollow portion of the track between the hollow portion and the take-out means. When vacuum is applied to the other end of the track and removed from the take-out means, the spring biasing means 90 will pivot the door 87 and the bobbin 66 back to the closed position of the door S7, and the bobbin 66 will be pulled into the track carrying a loop of the wire 70 with it.

Details of the full Vacuum control and damper control means are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The description will be in connection with hollow track 40, but it should be understood that the description fits hollow track 41 as well.

The vacuum source 50 is applied through hose connection 51 to the hollow track 40 through a connecting means which has a bore 101 therethrough. The connecting means 100 is fastened to the channel member 80 and the plate 81 by suitable means 102. Extending across the connecting means 100 are two slots 103 and 104. The slots 103 and 104 are adapted to receive the vacuum control blade 52 and the damper control blade 56 respectively. The surface of the vacuum control blade 52, which faces the hollow track 40, has a dished out portion 105. The damper control blade 56 has an opening 106 therethrough which has an area substantially less than the bore 101. The blades 52 and 56 are connected to the piston or rods 107 and 107 respectively of actuating mechanisms 54 and 58 respectively by suitable linking members 108 and 108'.

FIG. 4 shows the vacuum control blade 52 completely inserted across the bore 101. The damper control blade 56 is completely withdrawn from across the bore 101. With the blades 52 and 56 in this position, the hollow track 40 is completely closed to the vacuum source 50.

The hollow track 40 is open to the atmosphere through` a path dened by the bore 101, the dished out portion 105 of the vacuum control blade 52, and the slot 103 through the connecting means 100.

FIG. 5 shows the vacuum control blade 52 completely withdrawn from across the bore 101. The damper control blade 56 has been inserted across the bore 101. With the blades 52 and 56 in the position shown in FIG. 5, the vacuum from the source 50 is substantially reduced to the hollow track 40 through the small opening 106 in the damper control blade 56.

control blade 56 would be withdrawn from across the bore 101.

FIGS. 6 through l0 show functionally the various positions and operations of various elements in the Wire handling device. A complete understanding of the operation of the wire handling device may be followed in connection with FIG. 1 and FIGS. 6 through l0. Solid arrowheads indicate pneumatic directions and dotted arrowheads indicate mechanical movements.

FIG. 6

Needle handlers 30 and 31 have converged upon work piece 20 and have actuated switches 34 and 35. The

needle. 71 carrying the wire 70 was passed through thework piece 20 from needle handler 31 to needle handler 30 in response to actuation of switches 34 and 35.

The hollow tracks 40 and 41 are shown retracted away from the path of the needle handlers 30 and 31. Track 41, which presently contains a bight of the wire 70, has damper-controlled vacuum applied to its holding bobbin 67 and the bight of wire Within the hollow track 41. Takeout` means 60 has vacuum applied to it through valve means 63. Bobbin 66 is being retained within take-out means 60.

FIG. 7

When the needle 71 has been passed through the work piece 20 from needle handler 31 to 30, the needle handlers diverge away from the work piece 20. When needle handlers 30 and 31 pass switches 38 and 39, hollow track 40 is positioned in receptive relationship with the wire 70 and hollow track 41 is positioned in a discrete position relative to track 40. The path of the wire 70 may be followed from needle 71 contained in needle handler 30 across the hollow track 40 between the hollow track 40 and take-out means 6B, through the work piece 20 in a run perpendicular to the plane of the work piece 20, around roller 75, into the hollow track 41, around bobbin 67 being retained by the damper controlled vacuum, a bearing point on roller 77 and back to the terminal end 72 at the work piece 20.

FIG. 8

When needle handlers 30 and 31 have diverged to a second extreme position away from the work piece 20 switches 36 and 37 are actuated. Through suitable control means, vacuum is removed from take-out means 60 and applied to take-out means 61 by the action of valve 63. Full vacuum is applied to hollow track 40 and the vacuum is removed from hollow track 41, and track 41 is opened to the atmosphere. Track 41 is open to the atmosphere to relieve vacuurn which would be created by the bobbin 67 being pulled out of track 41. The opening to the atmosphere in track 41 is controlled such that a slight amount of vacuum is realized so that bobbin 67 is not allowed to run completely free in the track while being pulled out of the track.

When the vacuum from take-out means 60 was removed, the spring bias on the door ejected the bobbin 66 into the track 40 causing the bobbin 66 to be pulled into the track by the full vacuum applied to the track. As bobbin 66 is pulled into track 40 it catches the run of the wire 70 across the hollow track and pulls a loop of the wire 70 into the track 40.

The photocell sensing means 79 will be etective, when the bobbin 67 crosses the photocell, to insert the damper vacuum control across the track 40. Sensing means 78 is rendered ineffective to sense the passage of bobbin 66 towards the vacuum end of the track 40.

Although'vacuum is applied to take-out means 61, the opening in the door of the take-out means is not covered and the door remains biased in a closed position.

FIG. 9

When bobbin 67 was sensed by sensing means 79, the damper control blade was inserted across track 4t). The reduced vacuum will be effective to continue pulling the wire from track 41. When the bobbin 67 covers the opening in the doorv of take-out means 61, the vacuum applied to take-out means 61 will cause the door and the bobbint 67 to .be pivoted into the take-out means 61. As the door in the take-out means 61` pivots, roller 75 will also pivotdegrees. The wire 7tiwas thusfreed from both the bobbin 67 and roller 75 and was drawn up tight at the work piece 20. The damper control will maintain a definite amount of vacuum on the hollow track 4t) to maintaina constant tension on the wire 70.

FIG. 10

After complete transfer of the wire 70 from hollow track 41 to hollow track 40, the work piece 20. will be indexed toa new position through which the wire is to be passed in the opposite direction. Upon completion of the loop transfer, needle handlers 30 and 31 will be caused to converge uponthe Work piece 20. During the convergingfportion of their travel switches 38 and 39 will be activated causing the hollow tracks 4G and 41 to be retracted away from thel path of the needle handlers. Also during the converging portion of the travel towards the work piece 20, the needle handlers 30 and 31 will becaused to rotate 180 degrees to present the leading end of the needle 71 to the work piece 20. When the needle handlers 39 and 31 reach the first extreme position towards the work pieceZt, switches 34 and 35 will cause the needle 71 to be passed from needle handler 30 through the work piece 20 at the new index position to the needle handler 31. Upon completion of the transfer of the needle through the work piece, the needle handlers 30 and 31'will again diverge away from the work piece and the sequence will repeat itself, transferring the wire 70 from hollow track 40 to hollow track 41 as previously described.

Needle handlers 30 and 31 could be conveniently omitted toallow for hand passage of the wire 70 back and forth through the work piece 2t). Suitable clamping meansV could be substituted at the second extreme position to hold the needle 71 during the transfer from one hollow track to the other. The switches 34 through 39 which activate the various valve means through the control rneans could be replaced by suitable push button controls to allow an operator to initiate the dilierent phases ofoperation.

The positioning means 43, shown in FIG. l, could be omitted and the hollow tracks 40 and 41 could be positioned by hand. It would also be feasible to solidly mount the hollow tracks 40 and 41 such that the tracks would always be in a position wherein the run of wire 70 between the work piece 20 and a suitable clamping means would pass across the hollow portion of the track and the takeout means. The wire 70 would be placed around rollers 74 and 75 by hand before transferring the loop.

The work piece 20 is shown to be movable in two perpendicular directions and rotatably in a plane. The worm gears 27 and the turn table 23 may have any suitable driving means. T he positioning of the work piece 20 may be left entirely to an operators discretion and be hand positioned ork suitable servo systems may be employed and the positioning of the work piece 20 left entirely to a program controlled system.

While the invention is particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understoodby those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein withoutv departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for providing temporary storage of wire or theflike in a device wherein wire of substantial length is*` to be passed'back and forth through a work piece in a.y sewingL manner such that the free end of the wire is always available, after being drawn through the work piece and stored, to be passed back through the work piece tothe opposite side to form either a running stitch or a plurality of loops on the work piece comprising in combination:

means on each side of the work piece to anchor the free end of a wire, the terminal end of which is attached to the work piece, said anchor means positioned relative to the work piece such that the run of the wire between the work piece and said anchor means is substantially less than the total length of the wire,

first and second hollow tracks of rectangular cross-sections mounted on opposite sides of the work piece extending perpendicular to and in the same plane with the run of wire between the work piece and said anchor means, said rst and second tracks being positioned such that the run of wire between the work piece and said anchor means crosses the hollow portion of said tracks at one end of said tracks open to the atmosphere,

means connected to the other end of each of said tracks for creating a vacuum in said tracks, control means,

and means including valve means mounted between each of said hollow tracks and said vacuum means, responsive to said control means for opening said other end of said second track to the atmosphere and opening said other end of said first track to said vacuum means whereby a bight of the remaining free end of the wire is pulled into said second track to pull the wire tight at the work piece.

2. Apparatus for providing temporary storage of wire or the like in a device wherein wire of substantial length is to be passed back and forth through a work piece in a sewing manner such that the free end of the wire is always available, after being drawn through the work piece and stored, to be passed back through the work piece to the opposite side to form either a running stitch or a plurality of loops on the work piece comprising in cornbination:

means on each side of the work piece to anchor the free end ot' a wire, the terminal end of which is attached to the work piece, said anchor means positioned relative to the work piece such that the run of the Wire between the work piece and said anchor means is substantially less than the total length of the wire,

first and second hollow tracks of rectangular crosssections mounted on opposite sides of the work piece extending perpendicular to and in the same plane with the run of wire between the work piece and said anchor means, said rst and second tracks being positioned such that the run of wire between the work piece and said anchor means crosses the hollow portion of said tracks at one end of said tracks open to the atmosphere,

means including valve means at the other end of each of said tracks for selectively and alternately established a partial vacuum in said tracks, control means, means including said valve means responsive to said control means for establishing a vacuum in said first track and opening said other end of said second track to the atmosphere for initiating the pulling of a bight of wire into said irst track,

and means including other valve means responsive to a predetermined amount of wire remaining in said second track for reducing the vacuum in said lirst track, said last mentioned means effective to remove all the wire from said second track and to maintain a constant tension on said wire when pulled up tight to the work piece.

3. Apparatus for providing temporary storage of wire or the like in a device wherein wire of substantial length is to be passed back and forth through a work piece in a sewing manner such that the free end of the wire is always available after being drawn through the work piece and stored to be passed back through the work piece to the opposite side to form either a running stitch or a plurality of loops on the work piece comprising in combination:

means on each side of the work piece to anchor the free end of a wire, the terminal end of which is attached to the work piece, said anchor means positioned relative to the work piece such that the run of the wire between the work piece and said anchor means is substantially less than the total length of the wire,

rst and second hollow tracks of rectangular crosssections mounted on opposite sides of the work piece extending perpendicular to and in the same plane with the run of wire between the work piece and said anchor means, said rst and second tracks being position such that the run of wire between the work piece and said anchor means crosses the hollow portion of said tracks at one end of said tracks open to the atmosphere,

means including valve means at the other end of each of said tracks for selectively and alternately establishing a partial vacuum in said tracks,

bight forming means associated with each of said hollow tracks adapted to be pulled into said tracks by said vacuum means to form a bight of wire within said hollow tracks,

take-out means connected to one end of each of said tracks on the opposite side of the run of wire from said vacuum means and adapted to remove said bight forming means from said tracks and to retain said bight forming means without attachment, said bight forming means being retained by said take-out means associated with said rst track which is to receive a bight of wire, the other of said bight forming means being held within said second track by the bight of wire and said vacuum means,

control means,

and means including said valve means responsive to said control means to eject said bight forming means into said first track and condition the take-out means of said second track to receive said bight forming means from said second track whereby all the remaining free end of the wire is transferred from said second track to said rst track and pulled tight at the work piece.

4. A device of the class described comprising:

a support for a work piece through which wire or the like is to be passed in a sewing operation,

means on each side of the work piece to hold the free end of the wire after passage through said work piece, the terminal end of the wire being permanently held, said holding means being positioned relative to the work piece such that the run of the wire between the work piece and said holding means is substantially less than the total length of the wire,

pneumatic storage means on both sides of said support adapted to receive and store a bight of the wire between said support and said holding means,

and means, including a source of vacuum connectable to said storage means, for causing a bight of the remaining free end to be taken into said storage means thereby removing the wire from the other of said storage means and pulling the wire up tight against the work piece.

5. A device of the class described comprising:

support means including positioning means for a work piece through which wire or the like is to be passed in a sewing operation, said positioning means adapted to move said support means in a rst and second direction and rotatably in a plane,

means on each side of the work piece to hold the free end of the wire after passage through said work piece, the terminal end of the wire being permanently held, said holding means being positioned relative to the work piece such that the run of the wire between the Work piece` and said holding means is substantialiy less than the total length of the wire, pneumatic storage means on both sides of said support means adapted to receive and store a bight of the Wire between said support and said holding means, and means, including a source of vacuum connectable to said storage means, for causing a bight of the remaining free end to be taken into said storage means located on the side of the Work piece to which the 5 References Cited` in the leof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Harwood Oct. 2, 1956 Stob Apr. 28, 1959 Johnson June 21, 1960 Baudet Mar. 28, 1961 

1. APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING TEMPORARY STORAGE OF WIRE OR THE LIKE IN A DEVICE WHEREIN WIRE OF SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH IS TO BE PASSED BACK AND FORTH THROUGH A WORK PIECE IN A SEWING MANNER SUCH THAT THE FREE END OF THE WIRE IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE, AFTER BEING DRAWN THROUGH THE WORK PIECE AND STORED, TO BE PASSED BACK THROUGH THE WORK PIECE TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE TO FORM EITHER A RUNNING STITCH OR A PLURALITY OF LOOPS ON THE WORK PIECE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: MEANS ON EACH SIDE OF THE WORK PIECE TO ANCHOR THE FREE END OF A WIRE, THE TERMINAL END OF WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE WORK PIECE, SAID ANCHOR MEANS POSITIONED RELATIVE TO THE WORK PIECE SUCH THAT THE RUN OF THE WIRE BETWEEN THE WORK PIECE AND SAID ANCHOR MEANS IS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE TOTAL LENGTH OF THE WIRE, 